Today we remember all those faithful Saints who have come before us: “forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics and every righteous spirit made perfect in faith” (Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom). They come from every race, class, region, and time. What they share in common is that through their repentance and cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they’ve been deified and come to participate in the life of the Holy Trinity. Their life in Christ has made them holy, humble, courageous in living out and witnessing to His truth in this world. It’s tempting to think of the Saints as some relic of the past; they are not: there are modern Saints in our own generation—St. John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Priest Gheorghe Calciu, the Confessor, St. Tikhon, St. Raphael of Brooklyn, St. Elizabeth the New—just to name a few from this and the last century. At the same time, we realize that God doesn’t just call a few to be Saints, but all of us. That realization humbles us, reminds us of God’s great and unsurpassed love and mercy for us, which helps us persevere in our struggles for healing from our passions and worldly attitudes that would otherwise stand in our way of deeper and continued growth in communion with God, of salvation itself. The Lord honors our struggles; through them, we learn to entrust ourselves more to Him, to repent and pray more fervently, to participate more in the sacramental life in Christ. We take up our cross so we can learn obedience and humility, without which, we cannot enter God’s holy presence. The “great cloud of witnesses” spurs us on to likewise live to the fullest for the glory of God. Holy Saints of God, pray for us sinners!
Our Lord Jesus Christ bless you! Fr. Robert+
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS (all services at our church home—47 Spa Rd):
- TODAY, 9:30, Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Trapeza, Sunday School
- Wednesday, June 14, Daily Vespers
- Friday, June 16, 6:30 p.m., Catechumen Class
- Sat, June 17, 6 p.m., Great Vespers for Sunday of All Saints (confession offered after the service)
- Sun, June 18, 9:30 Hours 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Sunday of All Saints of North America, Trapeza, Sunday School
Looking Ahead:
- Wednesday, June 21, 6:45 p.m., NEW Bible Study Begins—Epistle of St. James
- Wed, June 28, 6:45 p.m., Vesperal Divine Liturgy, Feast of SS. Peter and Paul
Confession and Reception: In keeping with OCA Guidelines, it is the discipline at Holy Archangels to practice monthly confession. If you wish to receive Communion and a month has passed and you have not made confession for good reason, or, are visiting, please talk with Fr. Robert prior to the service and before approaching the Chalice to ask for a blessing to receive.
Monthly Giving—Expanding the Mission: Our Mission has taken a big step of faith to move into our new church home, to expand our bookstore and outreach efforts, and make more room for new families and individuals. We need your help to afford our new space. Monthly pledges are key to our sustainability. Please place your pledge (or increased pledge) in the offering box today.
TRAPEZA: The lunch and fellowship we serve after Divine Liturgy is an important part of our Mission’s life together. We cannot draw closer to God if we are not also drawing closer to each other. If we wish to grow “in spirit and in numbers,” such fellowship needs to be part of our life together in Christ. Please sign up to help provide for this important ministry.
Prayer Requests: That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission & ACM (Annapolis College Ministry);
- Forgiveness, memory eternal: Newly-departed Priest William, Anne, William, James
- Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Rdr. John, Gov. Hogan, Benedict, Daniel, Mat. Janet, Eric, Daniel, Noah, Norm, Svetlana, Alex, Gary, Timothy, Sophia, the Church in Georgia & Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted brethren in the Middle East, esp. Egypt and Syria, a peaceful resolution in Syria.
Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos (Greece) on the Saints…
All those who to varying degrees share in the sanctifying and glorifying energies of God are called saints. The category of saints includes the Prophets, Apostles, Fathers and all the friends of Christ down through the centuries, all who share in the illuminating and glorifying energies of God, among whom are the Martyrs and the holy ascetics, clergy and laity, men and women, young and old. All these are called saints. Saints are not just good people, but those who are united with the unincarnate and incarnate Word, with Christ. Sanctity is the shared characteristic of all the Prophets, Apostles, Fathers, Martyrs and Ascetics. All are saints, because they have God’s sanctifying energy and they are Fathers, because they beget spiritual children…The distinction between saints and Fathers does not exist in the Fathers. For the Fathers of the Church the saints are Fathers and the Fathers are saints…Saints is the name given to those who, through purification and illumination, reach glorification and share in the glorifying energies of God.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 8
Thou didst descend from on high, O Merciful One!
Thou didst accept the three day burial
to free us from our sufferings!//O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to thee!
Troparion (from the Pentecostarion) Tone 4
As with fine porphyry and royal purple,
Thy Church has been adorned with Thy martyrs’ blood shed through-out all the world.
She cries to Thee, O Christ God: // “Send down Thy bounties on Thy people,//
grant peace to Thy habitation and great mercy to our souls!”
Troparion (Angels) Tone 4
O Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseech you:
by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,
and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you://
Deliver us from all harm for you are the commanders on high
Kontakion (from the Pentecostarion) Tone 8
The universe offers Thee the God-bearing Martyrs
as the first fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator.
By their prayers keep Thy Church, Thy habitation, in abiding peace//
through the Theotokos, O most Merciful One!
Kontakion (Angels) Tone 2
Commanders of God’s armies //and ministers of the divine glory,//princes of the bodiless Angels
and guides of mankind;//ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy,//
O Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.
